Polling begins for final phase in West Bengal

Kolkata: Amid a raging second wave of COVID-19, voting for the eighth and final phase of assembly election in West Bengal began this morning in 35 of the state’s 294 constituencies.

As many as 84,77,728 voters including 43,55,835 men, 41,21,735 women and 158 of the third gender are eligible to decide the fate of 283 candidates including 35 women contesting in the six constituencies of Malda, 11 each in Murshidabad and Birbhum and Seven constituencies in Kolkata North.

Voting will be held between 0700 hrs and 1830 hrs in 11,860 polling booths

The ruling Trinamool Congress’s performance in this phase would prove crucial in deciding whether Mamata Banerjee would return as the Bengal chief minister on May 2 for the third consecutive term.

In the final phase of polling, elections will be held in 4 districts and 35 assembly seats. The districts include Malda Part II, Kolkata North, Murshidabad Part II and Birbhum on Thursday.

The thirty five Assembly Constituencies of West Bengal going to polls in the eighth phase are: 1. Manikchak 2. Maldaha (SC) 3. English Bazar 4. Mothabari 5. Sujapur 6.  Baisnabnagar 7. Khargram (SC) 8. Burwan (SC) 9. Kandi 10. Bharatpur 11. Rejinagar 12. Beldanga 13. Baharampur 14. Hariharpara 15. Nowda 16. Domkal 17. Jalangi 18. Chowrangee 19. Entally 20.  Beleghata 21. Jorasanko 22. Shyampukur 23. Maniktala 24. Kashipur-Belgachhia 25.   Dubrajpur (SC) 26. Suri 27. Bolpur 28. Nanoor (SC) 29. Labpur 30.  Sainthia (SC) 31. Mayureswar 32. Rampurhat 33. Hansan 34. Nalhati 35. Murarai.

The poll panel has deployed 641 companies of central forces in the eighth phase to ensure free and fair voting.

Among these companies 224 are deployed in Birbhum district, 212 in Murshidabad, 110 in Malda and 95 companies in North Kolkata.

Only 1000 voters are allotted for each booth to avoid crowding. The measures were taken to vaccinate polling personnel.

Earlier, the EC had banned road shows and vehicle rallies in the state. It also disallowed any public meeting with more than 500 people. It had also curtailed daily campaign hours and extended the ‘silence period’ from 48 hours to 72 in the last three phases. Masks, gloves and sanitizers in each booth were made mandatory.

The Election Commission on Tuesday had banned all victory processions on or after the day of the counting of votes, on May 2 due to a spike in COVID-19 cases.

Trinamool Congress Birbhum district president Anubrata Mondal has been put under the strict surveillance of the Election Commission till Friday 7 am. The TMC leader was placed under similar surveillance during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and the 2016 assembly polls. (UNI)